Aimee Stewart

University of the Witwatersrand | wits · Department of Physiotherapy

Introduction: Scientific data concerning the trends, nature, and incidence of OIs in the tourism sector specifically in the South African game parks and nature reserves is not easily available thus it is perceived that it is a safe working environment. The purpose of this study was to describe the trends and nature of occupational injuries (OIs) am...

Background: Physiotherapy clinical education is complex. The dynamic learning milieu is fluid and multidimensional, which contributes to the complexity of the clinical learning experience. Consequently, there are numerous factors which impact the clinical learning experience which cannot be measured objectively – a gap which led to the development...

There is a need to predict occupational injuries in South African National Parks for the purpose of implementing targeted interventions or preventive measures. Machine-learning models have the capability of predicting injuries such that the employees that are at risk of experiencing occupational injuries can be identified. Support Vector Machines (...

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the knowledge of pathology and prevention of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), attitude towards clinical practice, and adherence to standard precautions among clinical physiotherapists during the pandemic. Material and Methods: A snowballing method was used to recruit physiotherapists (across 53 countries) who resp...

The poster outlines the development of a Tool used in Monitroing and Evaluation and Quality Assurance of Physiotherapy Clinical Education

Background Although school oral health programmes have been ongoing for years, there is little evidence to show how their policy elements are governed or translated into tangible implementation activities and population outcomes at the district level. The need for such a study is heightened by the persistent burden of oral health conditions and unm...

Purpose: The aims of our study were to (1) describe the tests that physiotherapists use to assess lumbopelvic movement control and (2) compare physiotherapists’ and physiotherapy students’ ability to evaluate lumbar movement dysfunction in patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Method: A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study...

Background It is important that components contributing to the success of a program are well understood to ensure better outcomes and strengthen interventions. Hence the purpose of the study was to assess the level of fidelity achieved by school oral health programs in our study district and to determine elements of fidelity that predict the risk o...

Purpose Optimal community reintegration is a key rehabilitation outcome post-stroke. This concept has been investigated in many countries but not qualitatively in New Zealand. We explored perceptions about community reintegration of stroke survivors living in southern New Zealand. Method Qualitative interviews were used to collect data. Recruitmen...

School health services and baseline oral health information are central to monitoring the progress of ongoing reforms, addressing areas requiring improvement and revitalization of South African primary health care. The study described the dental status of learners receiving oral health services in Tshwane, and assessed the influence of factors such...

Background: School going children across the world continue to experience high levels of untreated dental diseases. The South African Oral Health policy documents present measures to address the oral health needs of children in school settings, yet the burden of oral disease in the country is over 50% among primary school children. Methods: Our...

Purpose: Neural mobilization (NM) is often used to treat nerve-related conditions, and its use is reasonable with nerve-related neck and arm pain (NNAP). The aims of this study were to establish the effect of NM on the pain, function, and quality of life (QOL) of patients with NNAP and to establish whether high catastrophizing and neuropathic pain...

Objective To establish if a home-based exercise and education programme is more effective than usual treatment in improving function, mobility and quality of life in people with lower limb amputation due to peripheral vascular disease. Method A blocked randomized single-blinded controlled trial (RCT) with 154 participants (54 female; mean age 58)...

Background: HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy (PN) is common in people living with HIV. Its management is mostly symptomatic utilising pharmacological approaches. Objectives: This study determined the effects of an exercise intervention on PN among Rwandan people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: A 12-week single...

School health services are central to the revitalization of primary health care in South Africa; therefore baseline oral health information is essential in monitoring the progress of ongoing reforms and addressing areas requiring improvement. The study aims to describe the dental status of school learners receiving school oral health programs in Ts...

Background: Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) are at risk of having high stress levels and poor quality of life (QOL) which could have a detrimental effect on themselves and their children. Taking caregivers’ well-being into consideration is therefore important when providing rehabilitation to children with CP. Interventions to mediat...

Background Measuring pain in patients whose home language is not English can be difficult as there may not be a scale available in their home language. Scales devised in other countries may also not be accurate after translation. Objectives The aim of this study was to develop and test a new verbal pain descriptor scale in a Tswana-speaking popula...

Objective: To evaluate a minimal dose intervention of six 1-hour sessions of task-oriented circuit gait training including a caregiver over a 12-week period to persons post stroke in the South African public health sector. Design: Stratified, single blinded, randomized controlled trial with three intervention groups. Participants: Persons post...

Background: Overuse injuries in cyclists are as high as 85%, with lower back and pelvis pain (LBPP) being common. The lower back and pelvis are pivotal to powering and controlling the bicycle and essential for optimal functioning, comfort and performance. Cyclists spend long, continuous hours in sustained forward flexion, which is regarded as a mai...

Review question/objective:: The objective of this review is to establish the association between hip dysfunction and lower quarter (low back and lower limb) injuries in long distance runners. Specifically the review question is: Are long distance runners with hip dysfunction at risk of lower quarter (low back and lower limb) injuries?

Background Epidemiological data on stroke in Zimbabwe are scarce and few clinical studies have been performed to date. Methods A retrospective review of the medical records of patients admitted for stroke during the year 2012 was performed at three tertiary hospitals. Sociodemographic data were recorded alongside with comorbidities and outcomes. S...

Study Design Systematic review with meta-analysis. Background Neural mobilization (NM) or neurodynamics is a movement-based intervention aimed at restoring the homeostasis in and around the nervous system. The current level of evidence for NM is largely unknown. Objectives To determine the efficacy of NM for musculoskeletal conditions with a neurop...

Background: While static stretch (SS), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and oscillatory physiological mobilization techniques are documented to have positive effects on a range of motion (ROM), there are no reports on the effect of dynamic oscillatory stretching (DOS), a technique that combines these three techniques, on hamstring e...

Background: Epidemiological data on stroke in Zimbabwe are scarce and few clinical studies have been performed to date. Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of patients admitted for stroke during the year 2012 was performed at three tertiary hospitals. Sociodemographic data were recorded alongside with comorbidities and outcomes....

Introduction: Aims: The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate an interview–administered questionnaire to assess community reintegration for black people with stroke in low socioeconomic rural and urban South African communities. Methods: A sequential mixed methods design was used. A qualitative approach using semi–structure...

Asymmetry in the lumbar multifidi muscle (LM) cross-sectional area (CSA) is associated with low back injury. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the symmetry of the CSA of LM at L3, L4, and L5, in the context of simultaneous injury monitoring. Injury free, male, right-handed cricket fast bowlers playing at a nonprofessional...

Background The high prevalence of injury amongst cricket fast bowlers exposes a great need for research into the risk factors associated with injury. Both extrinsic (environment-related) and intrinsic (person-related) risk factors are likely to be implicated within the high prevalence of non-contact injury amongst fast bowlers in cricket. Identifyi...

Background. The cricket pace bowler utilises various strategies, including a more extended front knee angle, to achieve optimal performance benefits. At times this is done to the detriment of injury prevention. Objective. To investigate the relationship between three-dimensional (3D) knee kinematics during pace bowling action, injury incidence an...

Study design: Systematic review with meta-analysis. Objectives: To determine the efficacy of neural mobilization (NM) for musculoskeletal conditions with a neuropathic component. Background: NM or neurodynamics is a movement-based intervention aimed at restoring the homeostasis in and around the nervous system. Systematic reviews exist, but the cu...

ABSTRACT Review question/objective The objective of this review is to identify the effectiveness of neural mobilization techniques in various neuro-musculoskeletal conditions. Outcomes will be analyzed in terms of subgroups such as low back pain, cervico-brachial pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Inclusion criteria Types of participants This r...

Review question/objective Review question: which extrinsic and intrinsic factors are associated with non-contact injury in adult cricket pace bowlers? Review objective: the objective of this review is to determine the extrinsic and intrinsic factors associated with non-contact injury in adult pace bowlers. Inclusion criteria Types of participants T...

Purpose: To determine whether an association between cervical dysfunction and perimenstrual migraines exists. Methods: Forty perimenstrual migraine sufferers and 46 controls were compared. Information on the participants' ages and perceptions of neck pain and stiffness were solicited. The blinded physical examination of the cervical area consist...

The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically reduced the mortality rate of people living with HIV (PLHIV). However, complications of both HIV and ART, such as peripheral neuropathy currently affect PLHIV. The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremity and, its associati...

Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint and is often associated with shoulder or arm pain. There is a paucity of information on effective treatment for neck and arm pain, such as radiculopathy or cervico-brachial pain. Guidelines recommend neck mobilisation/ manipulation, exercises and advice as the treatment for neck pain, and neck and arm...

Abstract Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is common among people living with HIV (PLHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and affects their daily functional ability and quality of life. Lower extremity functional ability, which is most commonly compromised in patients with PN, has not been clearly evaluated in an African setting, with regard to functiona...

Background: Peripheral neuropathy symptoms (PNS) are commonly manifested in HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals, although data are limited on the prevalence and predictors of PNS in HIV+ patients from sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: To determine the prevalence and predictors of PNS in HIV+ and HIV-uninfected (HIV-) Rwandan women. Methods: Data were anal...

Background There is controversy as to whether conservative management that includes wearing a brace and exercises is effective in stabilising idiopathic scoliosis curves. A brace only prevents progression of the curve and has been shown to have favourable outcomes when patients are compliant. So the aim of this study was to: determine the effect of...

The assessment of handwriting in students in Higher Education Institutions (HEI) has received little attention. This study therefore determined the handwriting problems reported by 300 students at the University of the Witwatersrand in relation to writing examinations and screened for factors related to dysfunction in their hand writing. Students...

Background In South Africa the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act (Act 92 of 1996) replaced the Abortion and Sterilization Act (Act No 2 of 1975). The Abortion and Sterilization Act allowed for termination of pregnancy for specific reasons and conditions. The current Act of 1996 allows for termination of pregnancy at the mother's request up unt...

Objectives This study aimed to establish the difference in lumbo-pelvic movement control, static and dynamic balance at the start and at the end of a cricket season in pace bowlers who sustained an injury during the season and those who did not. Design This is a longitudinal, observational study. Methods Thirty-two, healthy, injury free, male pr...

The cricket pace bowling action consists of a complex sequence of forceful actions, involving practiced, particular movements of the lumbar spine. The nature and repetition of the pace bowling action is known to be associated with a high incidence of low back injuries. This study aimed to establish whether lumbar proprioception (as measured by join...

Background. Physiotherapy in South Africa has not defined its contribution to the management of HIV. As part of developing an appropriate HIV/ AIDS physiotherapy curriculum, focus group discussions (FGDs) with physiotherapy clinicians and educators were undertaken. Objectives. To understand the perceptions and experiences of HIV management in refin...

Background. The abdominal musculature plays a protective role against lower-back injury. Knowledge of the asymmetry in abdominal wall thickness in healthy, injury-free cricket pace bowlers may provide a useful platform against which pathology could be assessed and the effects of training could be evaluated.Objective. To compare side-to-side differe...

Background. The abdominal musculature plays a protective role against lower-back injury. Knowledge of the asymmetry in abdominal wall thickness in healthy, injury-free cricket pace bowlers may provide a useful platform against which pathology could be assessed and the effects of training could be evaluated. Objective. To compare side-to-side diffe...

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish if knee joint position sense in functional and pre-defined angles is related to ball release speed. Methods: Twenty one healthy male cricket fast bowlers participated in this study. The ability of each bowler to reproduce pre-defined knee angles of 140° and 160° of knee extension was assessed. In addition...

This study compared the level of CD4 count, viral load and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between treatment-naïve AIDS patients and a cohort of people living with HIV who have been on treatment for 12 months. This study is based on a secondary data analysis of the records of 642 people with HIV consisting of 311 treatment-naïve AIDS patient...

Ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries in sport and have a high recurrence rate.Aim. To determine the prevalence of clinical signs of ankle injuries in club rugby players in South Gauteng.Methods. Institutional ethical clearance was obtained for the study. Of the 180 players from 9 clubs who were eligible for participation in thestudy,...

Background. Ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries in sport and have a high recurrence rate.Aim. To determine the prevalence of clinical signs of ankle injuries in club rugby players in South Gauteng.Methods. Institutional ethical clearance was obtained for the study. Of the 180 players from 9 clubs who were eligible for participation i...

Background: Poor adherence to lifestyle interventions and medication-taking is problematic, and there is some evidence that a diary may be useful in facilitating patients' adherence to lifestyle modification in chronic disease. Objectives: To compare changes in blood pressure, waist-hip ratio, body mass index, blood levels and exercise capacity bet...

Background Improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQL) is the main goal of rehabilitation. The ability of the stroke-patient to participate in various situations signifies successful rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to establish the extent of community participation and the barriers and facilitators to the participation for stroke...

The Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) format is used during practical examinations as part of the physiotherapy undergraduate curriculum at the University of the Witwatersrand. Various factors influence inter-examiner reliability and investigating the inter-examiner reliability when using the OSPE can lead to improvement of the exam...

Paediatric HIV remains a significant health and social challenge in sub-Saharan Africa despite many countries gaining improved access to antiretroviral treatment. Paediatric HIV affects multiple body systems and has the potential to cause wide ranging impairments as well as activity and participation limitations. The aim of this paper is to highlig...

Aim: To explore the experiences and perceptions of people with lower limb amputations from the Johannesburg metropolitan area on the impact that their amputations had on their lives and their return to their communities. Methods: Semi-structured audio-taped in-depth interviews were used to collect data on 12 purposively selected participants. Ethic...

Paediatric HIV remains a significant health and social challenge in sub-Saharan Africa despite many countries gaining improved access to antiretroviral treatment. Paediatric HIV affects multiple body systems and has the potential to cause wide ranging impairments as well as activity and participation limitations. The aim of this paper is to highlig...

To determine the impact of lower limb amputation on qualityof life in people in the Johannesburg metropolitan area of South Africa, duringtheir reintegration to their society/community of origin.A longitudinal pre- test- post test design was utilized. Consecutive samplingwas used to recruit and interview participants (n=73) who met the inclusioncri...

The effects of stroke on stroke survivors are profound and affecttheir quality of life. The aim of this study was to establish the experience of peopleliving with stroke in low socioeconomic urban and rural areas of South Africa.A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was used to collect data.Participants were identified from stroke re...

HIV /AID S remains at epidemic levels in South Africa with onein ten people affected by the HI virus. The United Nations program for AID S(UNAID S) has defined five principles that can be used to mainstream HIV .The five key principles are: the development of a clearly defined entry point;use of existing policies, structures and frameworks; advocac...

Stroke is among the top 4 causes of death in South Africa and the top 10 leading causes of disability worldwide. There is a dearth of literature on stroke incidence, prevalence and outcome in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to establish the case fatality of stroke patients over a 12-month period post discharge from hospital. A total of 200 patients wi...

Background/Aim Stroke is a well-documented public health problem in low, middle, and high-income countries. Post stroke, patients are discharged home quite early and usually need help with activities of daily living. This help is usually provided by informal carers. The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of carer education on functio...

Background: South African research indicates that the highest death rates between 2004 and 2005 were from diabetes mellitus. There is minimal research information on interactions between what patients know about their disease and what health